Best Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) Alternative (FREE)

What Is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit?

After installing the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, run the Deployment Workbench app in the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit group to deploy Windows images to multiple computers. However, it’s difficult to deploy images even for IT Professionals due to the complex settings.

⚠️Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) Problems

Besides, you might encounter the following image deployment fail situations:

In addition, MDT does not support Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022.

Thus, many users wondering if is there any free Microsoft Deployment Toolkit alternative to deploy image to multiple computers.

👍MDT Alternative for Windows 11 - AOMEI Image Deploy Free

Fortunately, there is an easy-to-use and free Microsoft Deployment Toolkit alternative - AOMEI Image Deploy Free, which allows you to deploy or restore system or disk image to multiple computers at a time over the network. It supports all Windows operating systems, even the latest Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022.

Please download it to have a try.

In addition, you need the help of free backup software - AOMEI Backupper Stanard if you are using the standalone image deployment software. As it does not support creating a system image or disk image on any computer.

Deploy Windows 11 Image to Multiple Computers in 3 Easy Steps 🔥

Here we will show you how the Windows 11 deployment tool - AOMEI Image Deploy works. The steps are divided into 3 parts, namely create a Windows 11 image, create image deployment configuration, and deploy images to different computers.

Step 1. Create a Windows 11 image for deployment

1. Download free backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard and install it on the computer with everything you want. Then, go to the Backup tab and choose System Backup.

2. Tape the inverted triangle icon and Select a network location.

3. Click Add Share or NAS Devices, then input the Network Path (IP address of the NAS or network share) and choose a folder to save Windows 11 image file. Then click OK.

4. Click Start Backup>> to create Windows 11 system image file.

For daily use, you could consider creating a schedule automatic backup task to track changes:

• Daily/Weekly/Monthly backup: Select daily, weekly, or monthly to backup system automatically.
• Event trigger: Specify a specific event, i.e. system shutdown, to backup system.
• USB Plug in: Backup files to or from USB drive automatically when connected to the computer.

Step 2. Set up the Windows 11 image deployment Configuration

1. Install AOMEI Image Deploy to a computer as a server computer, and other destination computers as clients. Ensure all the computers stay in the same network segment within LAN.

2. Make sure all the destination computers are connected to a wired LAN and support the Network Boot (PXE Boot). Set the PXE boot as the first boot order in BIOS for all destination computers.

​3. Verify that the disk sequence numbers for system deployment in client computers are the same, disk 0, for example.

4. Please install Windows AIK/ADK on the server computer if you are running a previous version of Windows 7 or the Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) is missing. You can then create WinPE successfully.

Step 3. Start to deploy Windows image to Multiple Computers

1. Install and run AOMEI Image Deploy Free. Choose Create WinPE automatically and press Next.

2. It will create a WinPE automatically and show you the message "The service has started, waiting for connect..." when the process is complete.

3. Start all the client computers to boot from PXE and then you will see the AOMEI Image Deploy Client window, stating the local IP, server IP, and connection status.

4. Once your client computers access Windows PE successfully, it will display on the server computer. You can distinguish them by their IP address on AOMEI Image Deploy. Then, tick I confirm all the client computers which need to be deployed are online when all clients connected and click Next.

5. Click Browse button to select the Windows 11 image file from NAS or network share or just choose the Windows 11 ISO file as the source image file. Then, set up the Windows 11 image deployment settings and press the Start Deploy button.

6. Then, it will start the Windows 11 image deployment process, showing the restore percentages for each client. You can choose Restart PC or Shut Down the clients once the deployment is completed.

👑More Advanced Way to Deploy Windows 11 Images (Different Hardware)

As mentioned earlier, AOMEI Images Deploy Free is only available for computers with BIOS mode and you need to download another software to create a system image or disk image for deployment.

Thus, if you think it's complicated or your computer uses UEFI mode, you could consider using AOMEI Backupper Technician or Technician Plus.

That's not available in AOMEI Image Deploy Free.

So how to deploy Windows 11 image to multiple computers? Here is an overview of the steps involved:

For details, check the 3 easy steps to deploy Windows 11 image to multiple computers above.

The Epilogue

Compared with the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit alternative - AOMEI Image Deploy Free is easier to operate and use. You can download it and follow the steps above to deploy images to multiple computers simultaneously without effort, even for Windows 11.

Note the free edition only supports BIOS mode. For computers with UEFI mode, it's suggested to try AOMEI Backupper Technician or TechPlus. With it, you can complete all the steps within one software. You don't need to download any software to backup your system or disk in advance.